"She did it." Said the Third Voice.
"I cannot believe it." Muttered the Second Voice.
"Action must be taken!" Shouted the First Voice.
"Are we in agreement?" Asked the Fourth Voice.
"Is there anything else we could do?" Questioned the Second Voice.
"No." Countered the Third Voice.
"They shall be Charmed Again… again!" cried the First Voice.
"Let it be done." Commanded the Voices in unison.
* * *
Leo looked up expectantly at the cloud of orbs. A troubled look crossed his face when only Piper and Paige appeared. It changed to distress when he saw Piper's tear stained face and Paige's emotionless expression. "Paige… what happened? Are you ok? What's wrong with Piper? Where's Phoebe?"
Paige grimaced and waved a hand at him as she helped Piper to the couch. "Phoebe chose Cole over us… again. But this time is final. She has turned her back on The Charmed Ones for the last time."
"She what? But… how? Why?" He said, as he moved over to Piper.
Paige told him while making Piper comfortable. "And then she told us it was about Power, or at least her lack of it. Where does this leave us Leo? Are we still The Charmed Ones?"
"Yes… and no. I'm not sure. I will have to check with The Elders, if they will see me this time." He said hesitantly. Abruptly the séance candles burst into flame and a wind filled the room. The pages of the book of shadows flickered and flipped over and over.
Paige jumped to her feet looked around the room in a frenzied way. "Leo! What's going on?"
He began to speak but was drowned out by the shrill sound of the wind. Suddenly a chanting began, rising about the shrill whistle of the wind. A myriad of voices l chanted a spell.
"Hear these words,
Hear our cry,
Spirit from the other side,
Cross now the divide."
A cone of light had appeared in the centre of the candles and the ghostly form of a woman flickered within it. The Voices began to chant again.
"The eldest died,
Her place was taken,
The middle child has the craft forsaken,
A change of fate,
A crossing of sides,
The path of good and evil collides,
Return the sister,
To mend the broken,
Act upon the words that you now hear spoken!"
The voices cut off and the wind abruptly stopped. The candles extinguished and a haze of smoke hung in the air. From the midst of the circle fell the solid form of a woman. She gave a startled cry before falling unconscious.
Piper stared at the figure, her hands were shaking. Her mouth opened and a barely audible sound came out.
"Prue."
* * *
Phoebe screamed and held her head. Cole rushed over. "What is it? What's the matter?"
She straightened up and breathed deeply. "Its… nothing. I just thought I sensed Prue. But that's crazy, I must be imagining it.
He frowned. "Are you sure? Who knows what might have happened? Especially when you take into account all the stuff that's happened lately."
She gave him a disturbed look. "You actually think it could be Prue? They have replaced me in The Power Of Three."
"You did leave them, you made it perfectly clear you wanted nothing to do with them." He told her. "They couldn't just do nothing, it would have left a void that would ultimately be filled with evil magic."
"I guess so. But so soon?" Her voice sounded hurt and once again her eyes were filled with sadness.
"You know how fast evil moves. But there are more important things to talk about." Cole said, a slight grin on his face.
"Like what?" Asked Phoebe curiously.
"Like what we are going to do with our lives. We can go anywhere, do anything. No more rules, no more confines. We are free to be together. The question is what do you want to do?" He stared anxiously at her, awaiting her answer.
She sat back and silently looked at her hands, contemplating his words.
The silence grew longer and Cole stirred worriedly. "Well?" He questioned.
Phoebe looked up and glared at him. "Don't push me. You can't drop something like that on me and expect and answer straight away."
"Well you must have something to say. You've got to face up to your decision and live with it." He almost snapped, but controlled himself. The last thing he wanted was for Phoebe to get angry and run off. After all she was powerless, and an ex Charmed One would be an attractive target.
"God! You sound as bad as my sisters! I can't take that crap from you as well Cole." She whined, half rising from her seat.
Cole gently pushed her back down and went to a small box on the other side of the room. He lifted it and handed it to Phoebe. "A… present. I thought you might need it."
Her eyes lit up and she fingered the elaborately carved lid. She gave Cole a cautious look. "What's in it? Why will I need it?"
"Open it and find out." He responded.
She smiled and opened the lid. Inside lay a small glowing sphere. It pulsed slightly and was warm to the touch. Phoebe tentatively touched the small globe. She sharply withdrew her hand, a bemused look on her face. "What… what is it?"
"A power." He answered simply.
"Cole, you didn't kill anyone for this did you?" She asked accusingly.
Cole looked affronted. "No I did not kill anyone. I called in a favour with a power broker. I thought you'd need at least one power to protect yourself."
Her expression mellowed. "Oh sweetie. Thank you, but I don't think I should take it."
"Why not? It's better having that than being an easy target." He said pleadingly.
"Well. I… maybe. What power is it?" She relented, the allure of power tempted her too much.
"I am not sure. It wasn't that big a favour. He just gave me a random power, it could literally be anything." Cole admitted sheepishly.
"Ok then. What do I do with it?" She asked.
"Just hold it in your hands and empty your mind. It should be absorbed into you." He instructed.
Phoebe did as he advised her. She held it in her palms and shut her eyes. The power pulsed faster and glowed brightly. Suddenly the light flowed out of the orb and into Phoebe's hands, flowing up her arms. She jumped to her feet and coughed, panting for breath. The now empty sphere fell to the ground and shattered.
"Phoebe are you ok?" Cried Cole, the concern showing in his face.
Phoebe was standing still and trying to catch her breath. "I… uh… whoa. This is… interesting. It feels like. Well it feels like the time I tried some… well lets not go into that."
Cole laughed. "I know the feeling. The new power buzz coursing round your body. Every nerve and sense tinging. You feel…"
"Truly alive. It's amazing. I feel like…" She caught his eye and licked her lips.
He flushed slightly and loosened his collar, slowly moving towards her. "Phoebe are you sure you want to? I mean you have been through a lot and…"
"Just shut up and kiss me!" She commanded, throwing herself onto him.
They fell onto the ground and Cole extinguished the lights.
* * *
Piper scrambled to her feet and pushed past Paige, running to Prue. She tripped on a rug and fell to her knees. She cried out in pain and hysterically clawed at the rug, screaming at it for keeping her from Prue.
Paige watched her in astonishment. She'd only ever seen Piper that angry at something once before, when she had turned into a furie and nearly killed her. Piper's screams broke her trance and she rushed over to help her up. "Piper, Piper! Let me help you."
"Prue, I have to get to Prue. I have to get to her before she leaves me again. Prue!" Piper took Paige's hand and heaved herself up. Prue was still lying unconscious.
"Leo! What are you waiting for? Get to Prue!" Shouted Paige.
Piper dragged Paige along, over to Prue, and threw herself down next to her recently returned sister. She hesitantly touched Prue's face. It was soft and warm, and most importantly real. She laid her head on Prue's chest and felt a heart beat. Her tears poured out and soaked Prue's top.
Leo knelt down and looked at Prue, before turning to Paige. "There's not need for me to heal her Paige. She is in perfect health. I think that the transition back to life was a bit… overwhelming. She just needs time to rest and get readjusted to being back in her body."
Paige nodded and gazed at Prue. This was the amazing Prue, the super witch. She felt a mixture of anxiety and excitement. What would Prue really be like? Was she as wonderful as Piper always said?
"We should… uh… move her somewhere more comfortable. I'll go and put her in Phoebe's room… old room." She placed one hand on Piper and the other on Prue and orbed them all upstairs. Leo followed.
"I cannot believe it." Muttered the Second Voice.
"Action must be taken!" Shouted the First Voice.
"Are we in agreement?" Asked the Fourth Voice.
"Is there anything else we could do?" Questioned the Second Voice.
"No." Countered the Third Voice.
"They shall be Charmed Again… again!" cried the First Voice.
"Let it be done." Commanded the Voices in unison.
* * *
Leo looked up expectantly at the cloud of orbs. A troubled look crossed his face when only Piper and Paige appeared. It changed to distress when he saw Piper's tear stained face and Paige's emotionless expression. "Paige… what happened? Are you ok? What's wrong with Piper? Where's Phoebe?"
Paige grimaced and waved a hand at him as she helped Piper to the couch. "Phoebe chose Cole over us… again. But this time is final. She has turned her back on The Charmed Ones for the last time."
"She what? But… how? Why?" He said, as he moved over to Piper.
Paige told him while making Piper comfortable. "And then she told us it was about Power, or at least her lack of it. Where does this leave us Leo? Are we still The Charmed Ones?"
"Yes… and no. I'm not sure. I will have to check with The Elders, if they will see me this time." He said hesitantly. Abruptly the séance candles burst into flame and a wind filled the room. The pages of the book of shadows flickered and flipped over and over.
Paige jumped to her feet looked around the room in a frenzied way. "Leo! What's going on?"
He began to speak but was drowned out by the shrill sound of the wind. Suddenly a chanting began, rising about the shrill whistle of the wind. A myriad of voices l chanted a spell.
"Hear these words,
Hear our cry,
Spirit from the other side,
Cross now the divide."
A cone of light had appeared in the centre of the candles and the ghostly form of a woman flickered within it. The Voices began to chant again.
"The eldest died,
Her place was taken,
The middle child has the craft forsaken,
A change of fate,
A crossing of sides,
The path of good and evil collides,
Return the sister,
To mend the broken,
Act upon the words that you now hear spoken!"
The voices cut off and the wind abruptly stopped. The candles extinguished and a haze of smoke hung in the air. From the midst of the circle fell the solid form of a woman. She gave a startled cry before falling unconscious.
Piper stared at the figure, her hands were shaking. Her mouth opened and a barely audible sound came out.
"Prue."
* * *
Phoebe screamed and held her head. Cole rushed over. "What is it? What's the matter?"
She straightened up and breathed deeply. "Its… nothing. I just thought I sensed Prue. But that's crazy, I must be imagining it.
He frowned. "Are you sure? Who knows what might have happened? Especially when you take into account all the stuff that's happened lately."
She gave him a disturbed look. "You actually think it could be Prue? They have replaced me in The Power Of Three."
"You did leave them, you made it perfectly clear you wanted nothing to do with them." He told her. "They couldn't just do nothing, it would have left a void that would ultimately be filled with evil magic."
"I guess so. But so soon?" Her voice sounded hurt and once again her eyes were filled with sadness.
"You know how fast evil moves. But there are more important things to talk about." Cole said, a slight grin on his face.
"Like what?" Asked Phoebe curiously.
"Like what we are going to do with our lives. We can go anywhere, do anything. No more rules, no more confines. We are free to be together. The question is what do you want to do?" He stared anxiously at her, awaiting her answer.
She sat back and silently looked at her hands, contemplating his words.
The silence grew longer and Cole stirred worriedly. "Well?" He questioned.
Phoebe looked up and glared at him. "Don't push me. You can't drop something like that on me and expect and answer straight away."
"Well you must have something to say. You've got to face up to your decision and live with it." He almost snapped, but controlled himself. The last thing he wanted was for Phoebe to get angry and run off. After all she was powerless, and an ex Charmed One would be an attractive target.
"God! You sound as bad as my sisters! I can't take that crap from you as well Cole." She whined, half rising from her seat.
Cole gently pushed her back down and went to a small box on the other side of the room. He lifted it and handed it to Phoebe. "A… present. I thought you might need it."
Her eyes lit up and she fingered the elaborately carved lid. She gave Cole a cautious look. "What's in it? Why will I need it?"
"Open it and find out." He responded.
She smiled and opened the lid. Inside lay a small glowing sphere. It pulsed slightly and was warm to the touch. Phoebe tentatively touched the small globe. She sharply withdrew her hand, a bemused look on her face. "What… what is it?"
"A power." He answered simply.
"Cole, you didn't kill anyone for this did you?" She asked accusingly.
Cole looked affronted. "No I did not kill anyone. I called in a favour with a power broker. I thought you'd need at least one power to protect yourself."
Her expression mellowed. "Oh sweetie. Thank you, but I don't think I should take it."
"Why not? It's better having that than being an easy target." He said pleadingly.
"Well. I… maybe. What power is it?" She relented, the allure of power tempted her too much.
"I am not sure. It wasn't that big a favour. He just gave me a random power, it could literally be anything." Cole admitted sheepishly.
"Ok then. What do I do with it?" She asked.
"Just hold it in your hands and empty your mind. It should be absorbed into you." He instructed.
Phoebe did as he advised her. She held it in her palms and shut her eyes. The power pulsed faster and glowed brightly. Suddenly the light flowed out of the orb and into Phoebe's hands, flowing up her arms. She jumped to her feet and coughed, panting for breath. The now empty sphere fell to the ground and shattered.
"Phoebe are you ok?" Cried Cole, the concern showing in his face.
Phoebe was standing still and trying to catch her breath. "I… uh… whoa. This is… interesting. It feels like. Well it feels like the time I tried some… well lets not go into that."
Cole laughed. "I know the feeling. The new power buzz coursing round your body. Every nerve and sense tinging. You feel…"
"Truly alive. It's amazing. I feel like…" She caught his eye and licked her lips.
He flushed slightly and loosened his collar, slowly moving towards her. "Phoebe are you sure you want to? I mean you have been through a lot and…"
"Just shut up and kiss me!" She commanded, throwing herself onto him.
They fell onto the ground and Cole extinguished the lights.
* * *
Piper scrambled to her feet and pushed past Paige, running to Prue. She tripped on a rug and fell to her knees. She cried out in pain and hysterically clawed at the rug, screaming at it for keeping her from Prue.
Paige watched her in astonishment. She'd only ever seen Piper that angry at something once before, when she had turned into a furie and nearly killed her. Piper's screams broke her trance and she rushed over to help her up. "Piper, Piper! Let me help you."
"Prue, I have to get to Prue. I have to get to her before she leaves me again. Prue!" Piper took Paige's hand and heaved herself up. Prue was still lying unconscious.
"Leo! What are you waiting for? Get to Prue!" Shouted Paige.
Piper dragged Paige along, over to Prue, and threw herself down next to her recently returned sister. She hesitantly touched Prue's face. It was soft and warm, and most importantly real. She laid her head on Prue's chest and felt a heart beat. Her tears poured out and soaked Prue's top.
Leo knelt down and looked at Prue, before turning to Paige. "There's not need for me to heal her Paige. She is in perfect health. I think that the transition back to life was a bit… overwhelming. She just needs time to rest and get readjusted to being back in her body."
Paige nodded and gazed at Prue. This was the amazing Prue, the super witch. She felt a mixture of anxiety and excitement. What would Prue really be like? Was she as wonderful as Piper always said?
"We should… uh… move her somewhere more comfortable. I'll go and put her in Phoebe's room… old room." She placed one hand on Piper and the other on Prue and orbed them all upstairs. Leo followed.
